Plants Not Looking Too Good...

[JasonMichael]

Hi guys, I previously posted in another section but thought I'd try here..
 
I've had my Rio 300 for almost a year now, and here is a breakdown of my routine.
 
- I'm currently using a Co2 diffuser in my tank (on for around 6 hours daily), dosing with excel 7.5ml daily, trace 20ml every 3 days, flourish 7.5ml every 3 days, and the stress zyme 45ml every 7 days - I'm following the directions, dosage and intervals as recommended on the bottles. I'm feeding every 2 days, frozen blood worms and shrimp pallets for my bottom feeders. I have a powerhead which is moving the Co2 around, x2 T5 Day lights are on for 6 hours followed by x2 T2 Blue lights for 4 hours. 
 
The plants are looking a bit brown, some leaves have gone almost transparent, some look to have some dirt on them (is that BBA?), and just not looking at luscious and green as when I first put them in...
 
Any assistance is extremely and greatly appreciated!! 

 thanks. 

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Firstly I'd have the CO2 come on about an hours before the lights do and then go off about an hour before the main white lights do. Is this what you are doing?
 
What size are you lights and what filter do you have? What rating is the powerhead? You ideally want to see all of the plants swaying gently in the flow.
 
I'm not sure you really need to bother with the Stress Zyme regularly though. I don't bother with any of that and my fish are fine. Have you considered trying some different ferts for the plants? Say some dry salts that you can either dry dose or mix up yourself?

Also, you might want to consider an in-line option for the CO2 rather than via a diffuser. What CO2 system have you got?


And do you have a drop checker? If so what is it reading?

 

[SO19Firearms]

Still not looking good and still not feeding them a Complete plant food?
It's a thinker.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Still not looking good and still not feeding them a Complete plant food?
It's a thinker.

What would you suggest SO19?

 

[SO19Firearms]

Same as the last time.

 

[SLIM]

Hi guys, I previously posted in another section but thought I'd try here..
 
I've had my Rio 300 for almost a year now, and here is a breakdown of my routine.
 
- I'm currently using a Co2 diffuser in my tank (on for around 6 hours daily), dosing with excel 7.5ml daily, trace 20ml every 3 days, flourish 7.5ml every 3 days, and the stress zyme 45ml every 7 days - I'm following the directions, dosage and intervals as recommended on the bottles. I'm feeding every 2 days, frozen blood worms and shrimp pallets for my bottom feeders. I have a powerhead which is moving the Co2 around, x2 T5 Day lights are on for 6 hours followed by x2 T2 Blue lights for 4 hours. 
 
The plants are looking a bit brown, some leaves have gone almost transparent, some look to have some dirt on them (is that BBA?), and just not looking at luscious and green as when I first put them in...
 
Any assistance is extremely and greatly appreciated!!  thanks. 

You say your dosing trace for 3 days and florish for 3 days. Florish is trace. Your dosing 2 types of trace. Where are your macro nutrients?

 

[Zikofski]

that would be the problem them, that slim identified, also +1 on lunar co2 needs to go on before the lights do, this is to make sure there is enough co2 for the lights at lights on i.e. 30ppm, i used stress zyme initially to help cycle my tank this is before i knew anything about tank's so i am confused to why you are using it now? and how long have you been dosing excel as the transparent plants is usually melting, and the brown dirty ness i would say could be diatom's BBA is like a small thick bush growing on the edges of leafs or on wood?

 

[JasonMichael]

Still not looking good and still not feeding them a Complete plant food?
It's a thinker.

Sorry SO19 I thought I replied in the previous thread but I just checked and it didn't go through! You mentioned I need proper plant food if i stick with seachem, does that mean I should look at getting the Nitrogen and Phosphorous? Or do you recommend a better plant food? 
 

Firstly I'd have the CO2 come on about an hours before the lights do and then go off about an hour before the main white lights do. Is this what you are doing?
 
What size are you lights and what filter do you have? What rating is the powerhead? You ideally want to see all of the plants swaying gently in the flow.
 
I'm not sure you really need to bother with the Stress Zyme regularly though. I don't bother with any of that and my fish are fine. Have you considered trying some different ferts for the plants? Say some dry salts that you can either dry dose or mix up yourself?

Also, you might want to consider an in-line option for the CO2 rather than via a diffuser. What CO2 system have you got?


And do you have a drop checker? If so what is it reading?

Sounds good I'll re-set the timers for the CO2 to come on before the first lot of lights and off before the main lights go off. Lights are T5 at 54watts each, 2 day and then 2 night at different times. Filter is Fluval 406 (1450 l/ph) and powerhead is 2600 l/ph so low rate 4050 l/ph, the plants are swaying but I think I can get it a bit better by the sounds of it. I haven't really come across another good brand for ferts, can you recommend anything? The Stress Zyme I only use as it says on the bottle but looks like I'll stop that one haha. The drop checker is reading green all around the tank which is good, I am actually going to be installing the in-line CO2 diffuser hopefully this week for a better result. 
 

that would be the problem them, that slim identified, also +1 on lunar co2 needs to go on before the lights do, this is to make sure there is enough co2 for the lights at lights on i.e. 30ppm, i used stress zyme initially to help cycle my tank this is before i knew anything about tank's so i am confused to why you are using it now? and how long have you been dosing excel as the transparent plants is usually melting, and the brown dirty ness i would say could be diatom's BBA is like a small thick bush growing on the edges of leafs or on wood?

Great I'll fix the problem with the co2 timing. I used the stress zyme as it said on the bottle but I'll stop using it now and the tank is well established. I've been dosing excel etc for a while now, almost 6 months or so. And yes it is a small thick bush growing on the edges of some leaves and the wood - any suggestions to remove it? 
 

Hi guys, I previously posted in another section but thought I'd try here..
 
I've had my Rio 300 for almost a year now, and here is a breakdown of my routine.
 
- I'm currently using a Co2 diffuser in my tank (on for around 6 hours daily), dosing with excel 7.5ml daily, trace 20ml every 3 days, flourish 7.5ml every 3 days, and the stress zyme 45ml every 7 days - I'm following the directions, dosage and intervals as recommended on the bottles. I'm feeding every 2 days, frozen blood worms and shrimp pallets for my bottom feeders. I have a powerhead which is moving the Co2 around, x2 T5 Day lights are on for 6 hours followed by x2 T2 Blue lights for 4 hours. 
 
The plants are looking a bit brown, some leaves have gone almost transparent, some look to have some dirt on them (is that BBA?), and just not looking at luscious and green as when I first put them in...
 
Any assistance is extremely and greatly appreciated!! 

 thanks. 

You say your dosing trace for 3 days and florish for 3 days. Florish is trace. Your dosing 2 types of trace. Where are your macro nutrients?

In all honesty I haven't done heaps of research in macro nutrients with plant growth, but I'm aware it involves your N, P and K yes? 

 

[SLIM]

Macro ferts are essential if your dosing co2. Yes this is N P and K.
N being Nitrate, P being Phosphate and K being Potassium.
And trace ferts are essential. Both trace and macros need to be dosed daily.
Both of these are an absolute must otherwise there is no point injecting gas.

If i was you i would ditch the seachem and get an all in one micro macro fert like Neurto+
Or you could make your own micro and macro fert with dry salts but thats another story.

Also as briefly stated above, your co2 needs to come on 2 hours before your lights come on and turn off 2 hours before ypur lights switch off.

 

[JasonMichael]

Macro ferts are essential if your dosing co2. Yes this is N P and K.
N being Nitrate, P being Phosphate and K being Potassium.
And trace ferts are essential. Both trace and macros need to be dosed daily.
Both of these are an absolute must otherwise there is no point injecting gas.

If i was you i would ditch the seachem and get an all in one micro macro fert like Neurto+
Or you could make your own micro and macro fert with dry salts but thats another story.

Also as briefly stated above, your co2 needs to come on 2 hours before your lights come on and turn off 2 hours before ypur lights switch off.

Great thanks for that. I googled Neurto+ however nothing really came up. Is it the name of the brand? I have changed the timing so thanks again for that. If I can't get the Neutro+ here in Australia do u know of anything else instead of Seachem? 

 

[SLIM]

Sorry neutro+ I spelt it wrong lol not sure if its available in OZ. Try a google search.
If not maybe someone else could help you with an alternative macro micro fertiliser thats is available out there.

 

[JasonMichael]

Sorry neutro+ I spelt it wrong lol not sure if its available in OZ. Try a google search.
If not maybe someone else could help you with an alternative macro micro fertiliser thats is available out there.

Thanks slim! I ordered some from the UK thanks heaps for your help! 

 

[SLIM]

No problem

 

[JasonMichael]

Hey guys - I've taken everyone's suggestions with CO2
times, Neutro+ dosage and lighting, my plants have grown however I still have an algae issue on my driftwood and plants.

What could I do to get rid of the algae?

Because there is a lot, could it be worth it to just remove everything and purchase new plants etc? As I'm planning on creatin a new environment anyway...
Thanks.

 

[levahe]

If you have algae on plants, it means that they are not at optimal health levels. This could be caused by many things including not enough ferts or co2 or both - not enough flow to get the fert's/co2 to the plants - not enough water changes - not enough cleaning/ gravel vacs - too much light. Or a combination of all of these.

Think of your plants like fish, if you don't feed them properly and clean their home enough their immune system becomes weak and they get attacked by desease.
In the plants case 'disease' would be algae